Evaluation of Left Ventricular Function After Treatment of Diabetic Foot Ulcers Using Longitudinal Strain Echocardiography

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic, metabolic disease with hyperglycemia that occurs as a result of deficiency or resistance of insulin hormone secreted from the pancreas. Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU)is a frequent macrovascular complication has a high incidence and mortality rate. According to research statistics, the mortality rate of patients with foot ulcers after 5 years is 2.5 times higher than that of patients without such ulcers. Heart failure develops in diabetic patients over twice higher than non-diabetics both directly, by impairing cardiac function, and indirectly, through associated diseases such as hypertension, coronary disease, renal dysfunction, obesity, and other metabolic disorders.

Based on a recent study, DFU treatment improves cardiac function assessed by strain measurements . At present, few data is available about the ability of strain echocardiography in prediction of systolic dysfunction in DFU, and the possible effect of the treatment of these patients on their cardiac function. So, we decided to evaluate the effect of treatment of diabetic foot ulcers in improving heart function by this new method-strain echocardiography.

Inclusion criteria

• Diabetic Patients with DFU, who were diagnosed by a vascular surgeon based on Diabetic Foot Study Group guidelines.
• Diabetic Patients were who used anti-diabetic oral medication, insulin or who had fasting blood glucose (FBS) ≥ 126 mg/dl for at least two times at age group 18 to 50 years at Assiut university hospital

Exclusion criteria

• Patients with acute or advanced stage of renal, hepatic or pulmonary diseases, acute coronary syndrome, known coronary artery disease ,infectious disease in the last two weeks, coagulopathy, history of a hemorrhagic stroke, severe valvular disease , heart failure (EF<45%).
• at age group below 18 or above 50 years old.